ISLAMABAD: The accountability court on Thursday rejected a request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to issue warrants for the arrest of former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for his ‘absence’ in the courtroom during the trial of the LNG terminal reference.

When accountability judge Azam Khan resumed hearing of the proceeding, Barrister Zafarullah Khan, counsel for Mr Abbasi, submitted an application seeking his exemption from personal attendance on account of his foreign visit.

However, the NAB prosecution requested the court to issue Mr Abbasi’s arrest warrants, saying the former prime minister had gone abroad without seeking proper permission.

Barrister Zafarullah Khan argued that the federal cabinet has removed the name of Mr Abbasi from the Exit Control List (ECL). On court’s direction, he also produced government’s approval before the court.

He told the court that Mr Abbasi had gone abroad for 15 days and under the law an accused could not be stopped from visiting abroad.

As per the charges framed against Mr Abbasi, he was allegedly involved in the award of the LNG terminal-I to M/s EETPL at Port Qasim, Karachi, at exorbitant rates.

It has been claimed in the reference that Mr Abbasi got cancelled the fast track LNG project - Integrated System - from the Economic Coordination Committee on June 27, 2013, and awarded the LNG terminal-1 contract to M/s EETPL.

It is alleged that one LNG company had received benefits worth billions of rupees because of the contract.

Therefore, the exchequer would suffer a loss of Rs47 billion by 2029 if the contract in question continued.

The ex-premier is also accused of awarding the 15-year contract for the LNG terminal-I against rules when he was petroleum minister in the cabinet of then prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2021